One in three ‘ill or disabled’

More than one in three adults (36%) reported having a long-standing illness or disability in 2013, according to newly-released figures.

One in five (20%) reported having a long-standing illness or disability (LSI) that affects their ability to carry out daily activities or work, t he Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

The figures have risen since 2012, when 34% of adults said they had a long-standing illness or disability and 19% said this limited their daily life.

They have gone down since 2011, when they were 38% and 23% respectively, but the ONS said the data was collected differently before 2012.

In 2013 p eople living in Wales (27%) were more likely to report having a LSI that affects their daily activities than those living in either England (19%) or Scotland (20%), while c igarette smokers (37%) were more likely to say they had one than those who had never smoked cigarettes (32%).

Relationship status appears to be a large factor, with those who were widowed, divorced or separated more than twice as likely to report a LSI than singletons (54% compared to 26%).

The proportion of those who were married was 38% and co-habiting was 25%.

Those whose income was less than £10,000 were also more likely to suffer, with 45% saying they had a LSI, while just 24% of those earning £50,000 or more did.

The likelihood that someone reported having an LSI was closely associated with age, with more than two-thirds (69%) of people aged 75 and over reported having an LSI compared with 15% of people aged 16 to 24.